Larry Ellison Soars in Billionaire Rankings
Last week, Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle, experienced a significant boost in his wealth, propelling him to the second position on Forbes’ billionaire list, just behind his close associate Elon Musk. Following Oracle’s recent earnings announcement, Ellison’s net worth surged to an impressive $250.9 billion, marking a remarkable increase of over $40 billion within just a few days. His substantial stake in Oracle, which accounts for about 41% of the company’s shares, contributed to this financial leap. Notably, his fortune expanded by $25 billion on Thursday and saw an additional $16 billion rise on Friday, resulting in two of the week’s most substantial daily increases in billionaire wealth, as reported by Forbes.
Ellison’s Wealth Grows Amid Oracle Stock Surge
The earnings report released last Wednesday was described as a pivotal moment for Oracle and a significant boon for Ellison. The report revealed an 8% growth in Oracle’s total revenue for the 2025 fiscal year, reaching an impressive $57.4 billion. The adjusted earnings per share of $1.70 exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts, alongside an unprecedented sales figure of $15.9 billion. Following these announcements, Oracle’s stock price surged by 13% the next day, and by Friday afternoon, it climbed an additional 7%, hitting a record high of $215 per share. This stock frenzy led to a staggering 11-figure increase in Ellison’s net worth, which was recorded at $213 billion just one day prior to the earnings release.
Future Uncertainty Amid Wealth Fluctuations
While the 80-year-old entrepreneur may currently feel triumphant, the future remains unpredictable, especially in the volatile world of billionaire wealth. For instance, Bernard Arnault, the founder and CEO of luxury brand LVMH, kicked off 2024 as the richest individual with $231 billion but has since dropped to seventh place with $142 billion due to falling stock prices. However, TD Cowen analyst Derrick Wood has indicated that Oracle’s upcoming fiscal year, commencing this month, is expected to be a crucial turning point for the company’s cloud infrastructure services, driven by a significant demand for AI training workloads. Ellison himself is optimistic about Oracle’s trajectory.
Bright Prospects for Oracle and Ellison
During last Friday’s earnings call, Ellison expressed confidence in Oracle’s future, stating, “Oracle’s future is bright in this new era of cloud computing. Oracle will be the number one cloud database company.” He emphasized that the company is already thriving in the evolving landscape of cloud computing and artificial intelligence, suggesting that this is merely the beginning of its success.
Ellison and Musk: A Friendship Amidst Competition
As Ellison looks ahead to what could be a transformative year for Oracle, he also acknowledges that he might eventually surpass Musk as the world’s wealthiest individual. Nevertheless, Musk is unlikely to take any competition personally, given their close friendship. “I am not sure how many people know, but I’m very close friends with Elon Musk, and I’m a big investor in Tesla,” Ellison mentioned during a conference call with analysts back in 2018. The two tech visionaries share a bond, characterized by their entrepreneurial success and strong personalities. Ellison has often defended Musk against public criticism, expressing his admiration for Musk’s unconventional style, even recalling Musk’s infamous moments. In a notable move, Musk appointed Ellison to Tesla’s board in 2018, despite concerns from critics about the challenges of maintaining impartiality with friends in corporate settings.
